Oscar Södergren
Most kids use their computers to play games, perhaps to do homework or watch Youtube. Oscar’s first computer had design programs, proper ones, so rather than play videogames he started to design.
“As you often did - or at least the people born in the early 90's - I inherited my first computer from my father. He is a yacht designer, and through his devices he unconsciously passed on his passion and trade to me at an early age.”
That passion took him to the University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, or Konstfack as it is called in Swedish, and resulted in a degree in industrial design. The rest, as it so often goes, is history!
Inspiration
I am not sure if role model is the right term, but I am a big fan of a Sasha Selipanov, who is head of Koenigsegg – I really like his vision and boldness, yet it never takes away from the functionality of the cars. If we are talking more mainstream, I really like what Volvo is doing right now.
Dream Project
Actually, Shogun was sort of my dream project, but it would be interesting to do a project with 100% environmental focus – because it’d be an interesting challenge. People won’t compromise on comfort, design or performance for the sake of the environment. You must give them options that are as good, or better than the existing unsustainable alternative ones.
On Design
Design, yacht design in particular, is multi-dimensional: with many different aspects that need to be considered and that have to work together. Out of tradition they tend to be kept separate, and are developed in isolation from each other: one person does the hull, another the deck, a third the interior and at the end you consult a sailmaker. When I design, I take a holistic approach considering how all aspects will mesh together, and to visualize the functionality of the end product from the get go. Of course it is hard to know exactly how anything will work out exactly, that is why I like working in iterations, close to the actual product.
Product Design
While I love doing boats, as an industrial designer I also love product design. A project that was close to my heart creating carbon fiber skis: The idea was to create a performance ski for freeriding and moguls from innovative materials to reduce weight and increase durability. They did perform really well, well enough to a bronze medal at the Mogul Junior World Championship 2011. Another great project was a concept study for Electrolux called "Electrolux in the modern office landscape."
Oscar's Gallery
